Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at a law designed to make it easier for seniors to access medical marijuana, how to manage a “green out,” tips for new cannabis consumers and more. Enjoy.
Cannabis Laws and Mature Consumers
A new law in the District of Columbia is designed to make it easier for older individuals to experience the potential benefits of medical cannabis.
According to Kyle Jaeger, reporting for Marijuana Moment, the new law allows senior citizens—individuals age 65 and older—to self-certify their own eligibility for cannabis without having to get a recommendation from a doctor.
Called the “Medical Marijuana Patient Access Extension Emergency Amendment Act of 2022,” the law is designed to help address rising cannabis costs at licensed dispensaries and what it refers to as “the continuing threat posed by illicit cannabis storefronts and delivery services.”
The District’s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) also announced that it would be launching a “Senior Week” from February 22-25 to help assist seniors in the self-certification process.
Said ABRA Director Fred Moosally, “Senior Week will provide qualifying patients 65 years of age and older with the option to obtain a two-year registration card at no cost prior to the start of the medical cannabis sales tax holiday on April 15.”
In an effort to provide consumers with an incentive to keep out of illicit or gray markets, the law also creates a “‘4/20 Medical Cannabis Sales Tax Holiday Week.” The law exempts medical cannabis patients from paying the six percent sales tax for the period of Friday, April 15, 2022 through Sunday, April 24, 2022.
To learn more, you can read Kyle Jaeger’s informative article in the February 16, 2022 issue of Marijuana Moment. As always, his reporting is clear and on point.
Managing a “Green Out”
While cannabis advocates tend to describe using cannabis, particularly the forms that contain significant levels of THC, as a fairly benign activity, there are times when consumers can experience too much of “good thing.”
Some refer to that experience as a “green out” —a play on words that references an alcohol-related black out. Jessica Reilly, writing for The Cannigma, makes the point that overconsumption of THC actually can produce a variety of adverse effects that users may find overwhelming. She adds that new cannabis consumers are particularly susceptible to greening out as they are just learning how to navigate their THC tolerance levels.
When it comes to specific green out symptoms, Reilly lists numerous conditions. Here are a few:
- dizziness/ lightheadedness
- lack of focus or drowsiness
- nausea or vomiting
- anxiety/ unease/ paranoia
- increased heart rate
- loss of balance
- dry mouth (also called cottonmouth)
According to Reily, a green out occurs when the CB1 receptors in a person’s endocannabinoid system are overloaded with THC. The condition will last until the THC can be metabolized or eliminated from the body.
She adds that some people are more prone than others to greening out, particularly new or infrequent cannabis users. The condition could also happen if a person is sleep-deprived, dehydrated, or hasn’t eaten. In addition, certain forms of cannabis, such as edibles and concentrates, which are more potent than flower, may have a greater potential to trigger a green out.
Reilly offers a number of tips for avoiding and managing a green out, starting with what she refers to as the golden rule of cannabis consumption: start low and go slow. Consume only as much cannabis as you feel comfortable with and don’t feel obligated to smoke the entire joint or eat the whole edible. She also suggests the following:
Don’t drink alcohol while consuming cannabis. The interaction of the two can increase the likelihood of greening out.
Have food in your system. Consuming cannabis on an empty stomach can make the effects stronger, so it’s a good idea to have a snack beforehand–and maybe after too.
Keep water nearby. Make sure you don’t get dehydrated as this can exacerbate green out symptoms and may cause lightheadedness on its own.
Know the strength of your edibles. An edible high often lasts several hours longer than the one produced by smoking because the THC is being absorbed into your bloodstream through your digestive tract. When in doubt, cut the edible in half.
We can’t say enough good things about Jessica Reilly’s insightful and informative article and think it should be required reading for all new cannabis consumers. It appears in the February 8, 2022 issue of The Cannigma.
cannigma.com/physiology/greening-out/?
Cannabis and New Consumers
For mature individuals who are about to take the plunge and consume cannabis for the first time, the range of options available and factors to consider can seem quite daunting.
To help, Mark Bernberg, writing for The Greenfund.com, has penned an article that offers a number of tips to help individuals manage the experience of their “first time.”
According to Bernberg, if you are thinking of using cannabis, you may want to begin by selecting a method of consumption that fits your lifestyle. For example, those who are active and constantly out and about may want to choose a dry herb vaporizer. They are portable, can fit into a pocket or handbag easily, and are discreet to use. Such a device may also be appropriate for new consumers, since they are designed to use small amounts of cannabis at a time.
Bernberg also notes that when it comes to marijuana consumption methods, ease of use should also be a factor to consider. He believes that individuals who are not interested in starting out with high-tech options—such as dab rigs—are likely to find low-tech alternatives, such as joints, edibles and tinctures, can still meet their needs.
In addition, Bernberg makes the point that a person’s budget is also an important consideration when selecting a particular type of cannabis and a way to consume it, since not all marijuana consumption methods are what he calls “cost effective.”
So, he argues, new consumers need to do their research when it comes to products and methods of consumption, determine how much they are willing to spend, the methods that best fit their lifestyle and make their choices accordingly.
To learn more about the factors to consider when you decide to consume cannabis, we suggest you read Mark Bernberg’s article in the February 22, 2022 issue of The Greenfund.com.
thegreenfund.com/how-to-choose-your-first-marijuana-consumption-method
Spotlight on Legislation
In what may be a sign of things to come, state lawmakers in Colorado are once again considering a bill that would prevent employers from firing workers simply over their cannabis use.
That’s the word from Meghan Lopez, writing for The Denver Chanel.com—the online affiliate of Denver’s Channel 7. She reports that HB22-1152 would require employers to allow their employees to use medical marijuana on premises during work hours and use recreational or medical marijuana off premises during non-work hours. She adds that the bill does make some exceptions for professions that are considered dangerous or require certain skills.
In her article, Lopez describes the experiences of two different individuals who were fired because they used CBD or medical marijuana to manage severe pain due to medical conditions.
The bill is receiving push back from the Colorado Chamber of Commerce and the Colorado Mining Association. It was introduced last week and will face its first hearing in the House Business Affairs and Labor committee.
While not the first of its kind, we think it is a good example of what state legislatures will be wrestling with in the near future as legalization continues to grow in popularity.
Meghan Lopez does an excellent job of unpacking a complicated issue. To learn more, particularly about the experiences of the individuals who were fired for using different forms of medical cannabis, we suggest you read the article that appeared in the February 9, 2022 online edition of thedenverchannel.com.
Your Body and Cannabis: Bloodshot Eyes
Getting bloodshot eyes from using cannabis has long been a staple in coming-of-age movies and has caused many individuals to reach for eye drops or splash their eyes with cold water before they enter a party. And, if you have ever had a friend tell you to close your eyes “before you bleed to death,” you know what we mean.
According to Rae Lland, writing for Leafly, getting bloodshot eyes from consuming cannabis is more than an urban legend or a plot point in a script. Not only does it happen for many—but not all folks—but it can also be related to the quality of the cannabis you consume.
For starters, Lland notes that since red eyes can still occur even without smoke, such as when eating edibles, it’s most likely that the smoke is not the primary culprit but the THC. Simply put, the greater the concentration of THC in a cannabis product, the stronger the effects and the redder your eyes can become.
THC, says Lland, can lower blood pressure, which in turn can cause blood vessels and capillaries to dilate. When ocular capillaries dilate, blood flow to the eyes increases and reduces pressure in the eye. That increase in blood flow can create red eyes.
She does acknowledge, however, that it is possible for some to have an allergic reaction to cannabis or to smoke in general, which can increase eye redness.
The good news is that Lland offers three tips for eliminating or managing red eyes:
- Eye drops. Look for brands that are specially formulated to reduce eye redness.
- Stay hydrated. Drinking water can help alleviate dryness in your body which can help to reduce redness.
- Patience. Ultimately, says Lland, getting red eyes from using cannabis is not, by itself harmful. However, since there may still be some stigma associated with the condition you may want to plan ahead and save your cannabis use for times when you’ll be at home or not in public.
To learn more, we suggest you read Rae Lland’s article in the February 8, 2022 issue of Leafly.
www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/why-does-smoking-weed-make-your-eyes-red?
Senior Cannabis Digest is compiled and edited by Joe Kohut and John Kohut. You can reach them at joe.kohut@gmail.com and at 347-528-8753.
